Chapter 5

The Real Problem

Today was the cotton harvest season here in the Rising Diamond pack.

It was a fruitful year again because we got to harvest more cotton this year. Cotton was one of the main agricultural products of the Sowinski Kingdom. We sold and distributed them to the cotton fabric manufacturers here from our local area. Sometimes, we were exporting them to the three different kingdoms called Estasia Eglaria Kingdom, Yuanzhong Kingdom, and Waevalon Kingdom.

I giggled as soon as I saw Desmond joining with the fellow men. He had a huge frown on his face seeing that he really didn't like harvesting cotton because it annoyed him when some of the strands of the cotton stuck to his clothes.

'It seems you are enjoying harvesting, cinnamon,' I mind linked him while chuckling.

Desmond looked for me in the crowds and spotted me. He playfully rolled his eyes. 'I cannot believe I have to do this every year just to impress our pack members,' he mind linked back.

'Come. I'll wipe your forehead, cinnamon.' I waved my handkerchief.

Desmond's face brightened up. He didn't hesitate to leave even though all of our men, who are not pack warriors, were still working in the fields.

The women who were with me were teasing me when their Alpha was coming in my direction. I only chuckled and met him.

He sighed in exasperation. "Do I really have to do this?" he asked as I wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead and neck.

I pecked his lips. "Of course. You need to show your compassion that you cared for your pack members."

His arm instantly snaked around me before he pulled me against him. "I only cared about you, seraphim," he whispered seductively, causing me to inhale sharply and grin. "But I know this makes you happy to boast and be proud of me to your fellow women so I will keep doing this for you." He growled immaculately.

I licked my lips and chuckled. "Ah, Desmond... You are really turning me on," I whispered back.

His hand dug to my side. "Then, I shall make them watch how I pound you so fast and make you scream my name. Shall we do that?"

I distanced my face and shot him a glare. "There are kids here."

He grinned. "Is that even a problem? I can tell their parents to take them away and—"

I covered his mouth. "No, no. Calm your horses, cinnamon. We are in the middle of the harvest festival right now. So, go back and fulfill your duty as a farmer." I gently tapped his cheek, smiling sheepishly.

Desmond frowned but he sighed and smiled before he kissed my lips. "Alright. Be sure that I have a reward for doing this," he said meaningfully.

"Of course." I winked. "You can do anything you want from me." That was enough of a bargain for this man to play the role of a farmer.

"Tsk, tsk. Then, shall I tie you up in the bed and make you beg me?"

"I said, anything, cinnamon." I rolled my eyes. But I felt my wolf squirm at his words.

"Spanking?" I nodded. Desmond grinned. "So, anything, huh?"

"Don't forget rough and by force. That is not what you did last night." I frowned, acting like I didn't like it.

He squinted his eyes at me. "I am being gentle because I don't want—"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I like it rough? And do not pity me. I am not weakling." I drew closer to him. "You've gone too soft to me since we married, Desmond. Where is the primal instinct of making me feel trapped in your arms, huh?"

He growled. "Don't insult me, seraphim."

I chuckled. "I am not insulting you, cinnamon. I am just telling you that you can go extreme on me. I will take them and be a good slut for you," I said seductively.

"Oh, is it?" There was a sly smile on his lips. "Then you shall receive them later," he whispered to my ear. "Thank you for the lewd invitation, Marchioness Beryl-Verlice. I shall attend to it later tonight," he whispered darkly.

"Yes, Marquis Verlice. I am looking forward to it." I bit my lower lip when Desmond gently pinched my chin.

"I love you," he said before pecking my lips one more time as he stepped back.

"I love you, too." I felt butterflies fluttering in my stomach as my wolf was feeling needy of our mate.

Desmond's face brightened up at my response. Then he happily returned to the cotton field. I could already tell that saying I love you to him was making him happy.

I could still remember that time when I finally accepted him as my mate and reciprocated my feelings for him. Desmond didn't expect that he wouldn't have to force me by that time.

We were too complicated before. I almost refused him because he was too much. What I mean too much is he was too cruel for my own good. He was so obsessive and couldn't control his jealousy. Back then when I was first arriving at this pack, we argued a lot. No one backed down and... we couldn't deny we so wanted each other.

I smiled, reminiscing about those crazy memories. I could have wished if the Moon Goddess meant us to have a pup, I wished to tell our pup that their father was being hilarious.

I could already tell that if our pup is a girl, Desmond would be so overprotective with our daughter.

Later that night, we had a big celebration all over the pack. It was a festive event that happened every time we got to harvest cotton every year. Every pack was celebrating it so we were not the only ones who were having to celebrate and harvest this morning.

Tomorrow, it would be the continuation of the celebration and Alpha King Azarius would show himself in the festival. Desmond and I had already planned to go to the capital tomorrow to attend the meeting with the Alpha King Azarius.

I was enjoying talking and laughing with my pack members when I came to spot Desmond who was speaking with Harvey right now. Then I furrowed my eyebrows when Harvey showed Hazel to Desmond.

I tried to hear their conversation using my sensitive hearing but we were surrounded by our pack members in one area and the crowds were too noisy so it was hard to hear it. I excused myself as I swam through the sea of crowds and was about to call Desmond because it was bizarre that he didn't get to tell me that he would leave for a moment.

My heart sank as soon as Desmond and Hazel went along with each other.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I got to see them going to our manor.

"What is happening?" I murmured as I tried to get off from the crowds without being seen by our Betas and Gammas.

I looked at my bracelet and thanked myself that I was wearing it. It would mean so much to me to wear this because this bracelet has an incantation to hide my scent. I was using it because I had plans to make fun with Desmon later.

With careful walking, I headed straight to the manor and went inside after seeing Desmond and Hazel go there.

I went in the direction where Desmond's study room was located. That was where I could smell his scent. I carefully removed my heel shoes so that they wouldn't make a noise on the marble floor. I walked barefoot while heading to the study room of Desmond.

"Why are you choosing me to have this task, Alpha?"

I inhaled quietly when I came to hear Hazel's flirty voice. I was already at the door which wasn't closed enough so I was able to hear what they were about to talk about.

"Because you are fit for this, Hazel. And I don't want to worry my wife anymore."

My heart stopped when Desmond mentioned my name. I carefully knelt on the marble floor without making any noise so I could peek in the hole of the doorknob.

There, I saw Desmond leaning on his desk while facing Hazel who was holding a parchment.

"Hmm..." Hazel hummed as she chuckled. "Oh, I see. Luna does not know about this, am I right, Alpha? You should have brought this topic to her."

I furrowed my eyebrows. What on earth were they talking about? What were they referring to me?

"I will eventually tell her."

Hazel chuckled. "I don't think Luna will approve of it. Me? You will make me a surrogate mother? Luna Seraphina doesn't even like me, Alpha."

My eyes widened in surprise. Surrogate mother? What—

"I asked Anderson to conduct a test between Seraphina and me to see which one of us is having a defective state. He found out that Seraphina is infertile. It is the reason why we cannot bear a pup even after being married for five years."

I stiffened and felt like something exploded in my body right now. Me? Infertile? My heart sank more. So... am I really the problem as to why we haven't conceived a pup?

Is that the reason why he was speaking to Hazel? To make her a surrogate mother?

"Alpha, do not act so naive. Luna will not approve it even if you discuss it. She'd rather not have me to surrogate your pup because she feels threatened about my presence."

I clenched my hands when I saw her stepping forward towards Desmond whose expression was still stoic.

"Seraphina will understand. She has been troubled that until now, we haven't had a pup yet, Hazel. I know that she wants to have a pup already even if I tell her that I am not worried if we can have one or not," Desmond said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

I gritted my teeth when Hazel was already in front of Desmond and leaned forward to him. I wanted to open the door and smash that flirty expression of her but I couldn't find myself moving at my ground.

When I looked at my hands, I found them shaking. Shit... What I heard tonight was making me shiver right now.

"I can agree to be the surrogate mother, Alpha. But there is one condition."

"What is it? For my wife, I will do anything."

I immediately returned my gaze back to the hole upon hearing his icy tone yet... there was desperation. When I checked Desmond whose eyebrows were furrowed while Hazel's grinning face was so close to him, I already knew that I wouldn't like what was going to happen.

"Spend one night with me, Alpha. That is all for my condition," Hazel said before she descended her lips to Desmond causing my eyes to widen in shock.